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Lara celebrates record run

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Brian Lara rewrote history again with a majestic 400 not out to lead West Indian domination of England on a record-filled third day of the fourth cricket Test today.

At stumps, England was 5-171, having to reach 552 just to avoid the follow-on in reply to the West Indies' 5-751 declared.

Lara became the first batsman to score 400 in Test cricket half an hour after lunch, reclaiming the record for the game's highest score almost 10 years to the day he first set it, also against England at the same Antigua Recreation Ground.

Australian opener Matthew Hayden broke Lara's 375 last October against Zimbabwe in Perth.

In his 106th Test, captain Lara spent 13 hours and 582 deliveries for his quadruple century, then immediately declared the first innings closed. The Trinidadian lashed 43 fours and four sixes.

He and the great Don Bradman are the only batsmen to score more than 300 twice in Tests, and Lara resumed today on 313, with the Windies at 5-595, with the stated goal of making 400.

Ridley Jacobs, who helped Lara add a West Indies record unbroken sixth-wicket partnership of 282, compiled his third Test century of 107 not out almost unnoticed.

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The West Indies total was the highest scored against England, surpassing Australia's 6-729 declared at Lord's in 1930.

Lara tied Hayden's record 20 minutes before lunch when he stepped down the pitch to hit off-spinner Gareth Batty for his fourth six. He swept the next ball, his 546th, for his 42nd four to retake the record.

A packed crowd of more than 12,000, over half of them England supporters, rose to acclaim Lara, who removed his helmet, jumped, and punched the air in celebration.

Lara was also congratulated by England, and Baldwin Spencer, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, who led a small delegation onto the field to shake Lara's hand.

He later received a congratulatory phone call from Hayden, who described Lara's innings as "amazing" after listening to it on radio.

Before resuming the strike, Lara paused to kiss the pitch.

"When I scored it (375 in 1994) before, I did not know what to expect," Lara said. "This time it was very tiring but I'm here again.

"Matthew Hayden must have batted very well against Zimbabwe," he added. "It doesn't matter who you're playing against. It's very hard."

Lara's only half-chance was at 293 when a stinging drive burst through Batty's hands on its way to the boundary.

"Coming back six or seven months later to do it all over again, I feel great but to say I knew I would have done it again, no.

"It's a great feeling but it's dampened a bit by the series result," Lara said. "I'm looking forward to us pulling something back in this Test."

England has already secured the series, their first in 36 years in the Caribbean, with easy victories in the first Three tests, but Lara appears to have ensured the West Indies will not be swept at home for the first time.

The West Indies bowlers followed their captain's lead with an impressive performance over the final two sessions to limit England to 5-98 at one point.

Vaughan was unlucky to be given out caught behind for 7 off Pedro Collins at 1-8. But his opening partner Marcus Trescothick could have no quarrel after he edged a rash cut off Tino Best to Jacobs.

Best also claimed Nasser Hussain with a fast, outswinging yorker as England slumped to 54-3.

It got worse after Mark Butcher passed 4,000 Test runs and was bowled by Collins for 52, and Graham Thorpe top-edged a hook off Fidel Edwards to fine leg for 10.

Collins took 2-37 while Best claimed 2-20 before leaving the field with an ankle injury.

Lara could have topped off a great day with a slip catch to remove Flintoff off Ramnaresh Sarwan six overs from the end. But in trying to throw the ball up in jubilation, he lost control and grassed the chance.

But that late setback could not dampen another remarkable chapter in the Lara legacy.